Chadwick Boseman to Play African Samurai in 'Yasuke'
The "Black Panther" is turning into an African samurai.
Chadwick Boseman, fresh off reprising his role in "Avengers: Endgame," will star in and produce "Yasuke," the first African samurai to swing a sword in Japan.
The story centers on an African man who arrives in Japan in 1579 as a slave to Jesuit missionaries and eventually serves under the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga. The two men develop a complex relationship, with Yasuke earning the warlord's respect and friendship.
“The legend of Yasuke is one of history’s best kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a Samurai,” Boseman said. “That’s not just an action movie, that’s a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it.”
Boseman can next be seen in the cop drama "21 Bridges," which opens July 12.